Vehicle systems can include automobiles, rail vehicles, and various off-highway vehicles, such as, but not limited to, marine vehicles, agriculture vehicles, and the like. The vehicle systems often include a power unit, such as an engine. With respect to a rail vehicle, the power unit may be a locomotive, which may be part of a train that further includes a plurality of non-powered rail cars, such as freight cars.
In order to achieve a desired level of performance and efficiency, the vehicle system may use a trip or mission plan to map segments of the journey from one destination to another. The trip plan includes several junctions in which a different route may be taken. The trip plan also includes desired operating characteristics for the vehicle system, such as braking and tractive effort, specific to each segment of the trip.
Locomotives are complex systems with numerous subsystems dependent upon one another. One or more of the subsystems may malfunction while the vehicle system executes the trip plan. A malfunction may compromise the safety of the vehicle system and/or may detrimentally influence performance and efficiency.
An operator is usually aboard the vehicle system to ensure proper operation as the vehicle system travels to the destination. In addition to ensuring proper operation of the vehicle system, the operator may be responsible for implementing the operational characteristics defined in the trip plan. To perform these functions, the operator generally must have extensive knowledge and experience with operating the vehicle system.
However, even with knowledge to assure safe operation of the vehicle system, the operator may not react to the malfunction in a safe or efficient manner. Additionally, depending on the nature of the malfunction, the operator may not have all of the information necessary to make a safe and/or cost-effective decision.